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ginger is a must-have in my kitchen
thnx for the healing recipe, most appreciated!

Affirmative!

My dad always made me black tea with lemon juice and honey when I was sick. It clears a stuffy nose and is good even with an upset stomach.

ginger root tea with honey and cilantro is also good. i boil it with the cilantro, then add fresh sprigs in the cup to make it look pretty.

This is my winter remedy exactly. I've nursed many a sick friend or roommate with this stuff, and me too of course. Variations: To clear a stuffy nose, I add a dash of cayenne. To put a little hair on your chest, you can add a clove of crushed garlic. Is the jury still out on the immunity-bolstering benefits of garlic? And a slosh of whiskey never hurts.

Not to be a smarty pants, but medically the "flu" is short for influenza which is a viral infection of the respiratory system. (It's a lot like a really bad cold).

An infection that gives you an upset stomach is more likely a gastrointestinal infection.

It's just a pet peeve of mine. A friend once told me her flu shot didn't work because she got a gastrointestinal infection that year-- but that's not what flu shots are for!

From what I've read about influenza, it can have a wild variety of symptoms, way beyond a really bad cold.

True, flu does have more symptoms than the common cold, but throwing up is rarely one of them...

Ive been sick all week too. Unfortunately I live alone and was too weak to even boil water.

I like to add a couple slivers of fresh ginger in my green teas and chopped bits when I'm making chai on the stove-top.

I've been sick since Tuesday. Thank you for reminding me about ginger tea.

This is definitely one of my all time favorite sick-remedies. Ginger is very good for upset stomachs.

Another good remedy especially for cold is honey, lemon and cayenne pepper. The spice helps open up the nasal passages. And it is pretty tasty to boot!

I'm a fan of a simple mint and honey tea when I get a sore throat (the bane of a singer's existence). It always helps so much.

I'll have to try the ginger and lemon route next time.

Stash makes a pretty good lemongrass ginger tea which is nice to have on hand for a no hassle lemon/ginger tea.

I used to make a fresh version for John Malkovich after his meals at the restaurant a couple of years ago, as a digestiv.

that sounds wonderful. sk, hope you are feeling better!

when i was growing up, my mom had a strange but excellent upset-stomach remedy: a shot of very cold cherry brandy. it really worked! this sounds much more pleasant, however.

Hey, I have to second the pet peeve about the difference between GI bugs and influenza.

There is no such thing as "stomach flu." The term "flu" is short for "influenza" which, as another poster said, a viral respiratory illness. The general malaise it causes can make someone nauseous, and sometimes a high fever can cause a general queasiness - but rarely enough to vomit.

If you have the trots or the pukes, and feel horrible, it is absolutely 100% correct to assume it's a nasty GI bacteria you picked up from FOOD. Salmonella, e-coli, listeria - something. Influenza does not directly affect the GI tract. When you're cultured (tested) for flu, they swab your nose, not your ass. Because it lives in your breathing passages. Not in your guts. Foodborne bacteria thrives in your intestines, the flu does not.

So please folks, make an effort to break this strange habit of calling GI tract illnesses the "flu."

Signed, your friendly neighborhood registered public health nurse (and AT freak!)

"They swab your nose, not your ass."

That nearly killed me. Thanks.

I don't know.

Maybe there's nothing wrong with saying "I had the flu."

Compared to,

"I was laid up from too much diarrhea and throwing up. Yeah, it was pretty bad, I almost didn't make it to the bathroom in time. I went through a couple changes of underwear too."

Even if it is scientifically inaccurate.

This is my I'm-really-sick remedy as well--although I add a good dose of cayenne pepper (I know I'm really sick when this tastes good) and, in times of dire need, I boil halved garlic cloves in the brew as well. Lemon goes in after boiling to capture all the Vitamin C.

When I was younger, my mom would always make me "hot lemonade" for colds. Just hot water, lemon, and honey. Now that I'm older, I like to include a little earl grey. Or even better, forget the water and add whisky instead. Instant sleep.

i like some things ginger - i hate the taste of ginger root though. there was some ginger tea for digestion/stomach aid that i got at the grocery store and i was AWFUL. does this taste like that? i know, i know, i should expect ginger to taste like ginger, but i've had ginger gum from the healthfood store that didn't taste so much like it, and ginger salad dressing... ??

Ah, natural remedies - I love them! Yes, ginger is very good for an upset stomach. In fact a ginger tincture can be quite helpful. Just put some in a little water and drink it. Ginger tea, ginger ale, ginger beer - anything with a good amount of real ginger will surely help.

Any other kind of cold, illness, whatever, there's a few really great things to try. One is oil of oregano. Get it pre-diluted or buy it pure and cut it with olive oil. At a 50-50 dilution, about 3 drops under the tongue (hold for 30 seconds then drink as much water as you want) twice a day will kick about anything - oregano is antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal. Also, my mom makes this tea from elderflower, yarrow (or yarrow flower), and red clover, usually adding some mint for flavor with honey. She lets the herbs soak in hot water for 20 min before filtering and drinking. She swears if you start this right away that three doses of this tea (ex: morning, night, morning) will knock it out. One more: cayenne pepper! If you have a sore throat, put cayenne in water, gargle it for 30 seconds, then swallow. It improves blood flow to the area it comes in contact with, which helps your body fight it.

Anyway, I love natural remedies. Glad you found something to help you fight your illness.

really, really fabulous. not sure why i've never done this before! thanks so much for the recipe - it'll get much use in this house. cheers!

I love lemon/honey/ginger so much, I drink it even when I'm not sick. As a dedicated ginger lover I especially like to make a cup of this in the evening, then let the ginger steep overnight and drink it with breakfast. The ginger boost wakes me up better than coffee.

I read this: There is no such thing as "stomach flu." The term "flu" is short for "influenza" and wanted to scream out loud with delight. I have not been this excited since I heard (of all people) John Madden pronounce the word verbiage correctly (it's not VERbage).

The whole "stomach flu" thing drives me to distraction. You either have a stomach virus/bug or the flu.

The worst offense I've heard on TV was when on Northern Exposure Joel, who was supposed to be a DOCTOR said, "I think I have the stomach flu."

Back to topic - the brew described above sounds like Heaven!

add a pinch of cayenne pepper and this will be the best tea ever. i know it sounds weird but believe me it it super yum.

My favorite cold reliever is hot Dr. Pepper with a lemon slice.
It really tastes better than it sounds.
I was also curious if one could use powdered ginger in place of the fresh?

Drinking it as you speak... or as I read?

My mom makes a big pot of this in the winter and drinks it faithfully when she feels a cold coming on. It's pretty much all I drink when I'm sick now. Instead of honey, we sometimes use brown sugar. Simple, tasty and it works.

I'd just like to point out that this drink is great for the flu ... the actual flu. All these people pointing out the difference between the flu and a GI infection are missing the point that while ginger is nice for the stomach, this drink is actually *meant* for respiratory infections.

Honey has been proven better than cough syrup at dealing with coughs and hot lemon-ginger is great on a sore throat (both symptoms of the actual flu). And when you're sick with anything, drinking lots of fluids is good for you, and this is a soothing choice.